Inexpensive, DIY ideas

[Andy]

What became of Dale? I remember when he put his Parker up for sale.

When I first started looking at CP, Dale was still active. It was shortly after that, that he 'retired' from CP. I remember he was trying to sell his very-customized boat that had a lot of teak wood accents and accessories. ('Miss Teak' a 1992 25' mod-V). It was not selling as fast as he was hoping it would, and I think he was disappointed in that; most 'regular' Parkers sell very fast when posted here. I don't remember ever seeing a posting from Dale, that it actually sold. I had PM'd him a couple times, with no response. So I think when he turned the reins over to Angie, he disappeared. I for one am very thankful that he founded ClassicParker in the first place. Information I get from this site (the information and cordial, helpful people) is the reason I bought a Parker.

 

[Ana]

I for one am very thankful that he founded ClassicParker in the first place.

I'm very thankful too.
When I met my current husband in 1999, not the 1st but maybe the 2nd thing he told me was that one day he'll buy a Parker with a cabin.

He never did, for our 5th wedding anniversary I got him one.
Never thought i would care for boats, but I'm finding out Parker people are a special breed. This place is special too.

 

[Andy]

I'm very thankful too.
When I met my current husband in 1999, not the 1st but maybe the 2nd thing he told me was that one day he'll buy a Parker with a cabin.

He never did, for our 5th wedding anniversary I got him one.
Never thought i would care for boats, but I'm finding out Parker people are a special breed. This place is special too.

So, you bought him a Parker... I hope he knows that he is one of the luckiest men on earth.. You are a 'keeper' ! ☺ ATTENTION ALL WIVES; If you're wondering what to get your husband for an anniversary, birthday, Christmas.... consult with Ana.... ☺

 

[dcunniff]

12 volt fan in vee of 2530.
Two 12 volt fans in front top of cabin.

 

[dcunniff]

Bins, shelves in vee berth for quick access to manuals and other paperwork, phones, spray cans...

 

[dcunniff]

2530 pilot seat and to right of shifter has a red/white LED light on a flexible gooseneck, sometimes I turn off instrument panel lights at night and a red light to cut glare off windshield. Above instruments is smoked plastic to knock down some glare from red/green lights at night. In front of shifter, all same picture I put labels (hard to see) but lists height to tallest normal part of boat that cannot fold down for when coming up to low bridges. Also has height of tallest part of boat on the trailer. And has a list of public VHF channels as a quick glance instead of remembering them.

Same pic, for an older boat, top left is an hour meter added. Below is a simple digital depth sounder display (sounder was epoxied in the bilge) for if/when a transom mounted one is not reading right.

 

[dcunniff]

Blue LED lights under cockpit gunwales. Put switch in cabin so had to run wires, mount and daisy chain the lights. Just a night pic of them on.

 

[Bodick93]

Cabin front window props: I cut these things out of thin PVC trim angle. Instead of relying on the utterly unreliable tension knobs, I just drop one of these in there in half a second. I put a drop of blue loctite on the knob threads so they don't vibrate loose over time and fall apart. I never touch them anymore.
If it's rough I use a pair on each window. They don't rust or damage anything and weigh nearly nothing. Perfect knobs would be ideal, these are not bad.
I must add, I don't travel far or fast with the windows "up," primarily for concern of them catching an updraft.

 

[dcunniff]

Maybe too much $ for this thread? Many years prior had installed a second 8' VHF antenna on the cabin top and used it as a back-up antenna. Few years ago mounted another VHF on the ceiling of the cabin top. Just had to do the VHF mount and wiring since already had the cabling there.

 

[dcunniff]

Not as important now as more is known about ethanol fuel and engines are built better for them, and older boats with weaker hoses fade away. When it first showed up for marine, I added a larger filter upstream on an IO engine. I put no-ethanol gas in for several years as it is close by and on the water. I still use the two filters. Added one is on the left, can see original upper right, both white.

 

[dcunniff]

Another simple one, I added a fold down, taller all around white light to replace the factory short one on a '96 2530. Went LED too, many years ago. Rocket launchers were added too. Floodlights were original, in the pic.

 

[dcunniff]

For the bow pulpit, couple simple things. One, a burgee mount on the front of the rail. Two, only on the rails for years ago when I was on a mooring I would let out some anchor line to get the anchor out of the roller and mount the flukes on the stainless steel supports for when wind and current were strong so that the anchor did not catch the lines with constant shifts of the boat. Not in use now, but still there. The shank of the anchor would rest on the pulpit.

 

[dcunniff]

Added two flag mounts. On a 2530. Main one that gets used is on the stern gunwale in the center between storage boxes. Back up when want the flag out of the way, near back end of port cabin top rail that is attached to the rail (this one is lighter duty).

 

[dcunniff]

Years ago had shore power set up added, the cabin side electrical outlet connection, AC wiring, and an AC circuit breaker panel (all not shown) as it may not be considered a low cost job. But after a few years and multiple lousy slip neighbors that caused boats to chew through anodes (and for some they lost propellers that did not want to listen to me), we added a galvanic isolator. Mounted it in the side of the electric bin in the vee. We even a couple of times just shut off the shore power of the boats that caused the problem.

Is the black box with two green ground AC lines on the top. Don't faint over all the DC wires around it

 

[dcunniff]

For many years in a 2530 used to sleep in it, wife and I, in the marina or where we ended up. Just had the side lights, she preferred to read longer at night. added two lights right in the front of the vee for her. And bought ones that could go white or red. Now we are too close to the marina to bother sleeping on it but was very good light.

 

[dcunniff]

On different installs added cigarette lighters and storage bins in a 2530 over the years, some more recent. Left side of vee entrance, good bins up high to hold drinks, cans, phones, etc. Below to the left a lighter outlet.

Behind pilot seat, on left side of galley, various bins and also to the left a lighter.

 

[dcunniff]

Couple more DC set ups, more recent. In the vee, on side of instrument panel, wider view at top shows AC panel mentioned before, at bottom is a small DC panel with an on off switch with a cigarette lighter outlet and the other is a dual USB outlet.

DC cable hanging down to the right and the bottom of it in the other pic is an SAE connector added as can get many devices to mate up with an SAE quick disconnect.

 

[dcunniff]

Port bench seat in 2530. Years ago added a second cushion to double the height, can snap it on and off, for people that sat and could not see well out of the port windshield.

 

[Brent]

I like the solar fan units with 2 fans to keep air blowing out of bilge to the sky

 

[Chilli]

After a most active wave action day, we decided to add some fatigue mats to the cabin floor. The water pounding the o/s hull was bothering the significant other. No complaining about the rough riding, just the noise.
The cushion actually feels great. Cheap HF mats used for Sprinter van floor covering. Easy to replace & again, cheap.
It should be noted, only skillful labor used from local source. This should explain the artistic selection of color contrast.